Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. artisteer/Getty Images The answer to that question is as old as the country itself, and it continues to evolve as Americans debate the right balance of individual freedom and public safety. After every mass shooting and subsequent examination of gun violence statistics, a predictable argument is sure to follow as gun-rights advocates and gun-control advocates square off over what should be done next. Each side speaks with passion and fire about rights and law and the Constitution, the meaning of “the right to bear arms” and “a well-regulated militia,” and what these terms mean in the context of our Second Amendment rights.